Midland has been trending in the news twice in the past few months. I wish I could say it was a good thing, something that would make me proud of my city and want people to know about us, but I can’t. The first was the shaky handling of the Planet Fitness situation, and more recently the public outing of a hypocritical pastor. Both of these stories have to do with gender and sexuality, and the more these things happen, the more I realize how close-minded a lot of the people around me are. But these are just a couple examples in why the state of Michigan is looked at so poorly by the rest of the country, and what’s happened now isn’t going to help our image.

Rick Snyder just recently signed into law a bill that will allow faith-based adoption agencies in Michigan to refuse to serve prospective parents, like same-sex or unmarried couples, if doing so would violate their “religious beliefs.” We’ve seen this kind of thing before, with the Indiana pizza place saying they wouldn’t cater a gay wedding, and they were forced to close due to threats to their well-being. Now, I highly disagree with the aforementioned practice and criminal threatening is nothing to joke about, but how come this local family was harassed so thoroughly by seemingly the entire world, but this bill isn’t causing as much of a stir? I understand that everyone is entitled to their beliefs, but how far can we, not only as a nation but as human beings, let this separation go? We need to look at one specific area for the root of the problem, and that’s known as the vocal minority.

One thing a lot of people will say about society these days is that things are the way they are because people don’t vote. I have to agree with that, but amend that statement to say the right people don’t vote. That’s where the vocal minority comes in. Young people are discouraged from voting in a multitude of ways, and right wing religious politicians, such as Rick Snyder and Gary Glenn, would love to keep it that way. Young people are more forward thinking. They accept tattoos and piercings in the workplace, on the basis that hard work and character mean more than a crew cut and an ankle-length skirt. They even believe that same sex couples should be allowed to raise children. Crazy, right? Some of our parents and grandparents are still of the mind from their time and tend to be more religiously compliant, but the difference is they vote, and their votes are heard. Ten people can say they’re against something, but if one person is for it and those 10 don’t vote, one is more than zero.

I say the right people don’t vote because it seems like, opposite of what I mentioned above, most of the people that get upset about these new laws are twenty somethings and teenagers. If I were to ask my circle friends and family if they agree with the bill, I’m pretty sure I’d be hard-pressed to find someone who does. But at the same time, I think I would also be hard-pressed to find someone who actually voted in the last election. I would tell them to get out and vote, but how do you convince people to make that change, when they feel like their personal opinion doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things? It starts by understanding our current legislature in regards to voting, how it’s affecting different age groups, and what we can do to introduce an easier, more uniform system that benefits everyone. It starts by disrupting the institutionalized silencing of low-income households and non-binary/trans individuals.

Now, Gary Glenn has had an agenda for years. He’s wanted to prohibit use of classroom dollars to “promote any form of sexual activity outside of marriage,” cut off support to Planned Parenthood, and, you guessed it, make sure homosexual couples can’t adopt children. At least one win is a win, right? But I look at it this way, and correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the reformation of our educational curriculum, in alignment with religious values, dangerous? Not to mention overstretching, considering the extended separation of church and state? I’m all for live and let live and I don’t mind people having their beliefs and opinions, but I feel like in an age where I see an ever-increasing number of young people abandoning faith-based lives, that denying them access to resources and knowledge because of a conflict of interest is a bad idea. The pretense that if you ignore something long enough it’ll go away is how kids end up pregnant and addicted to drugs. Or, you know, dead. But as the president of the American Family Association of Michigan, I’m sure Glenn doesn’t care about a few dead gay or trans kids, what with their sexual perversions and anti-Christian darkness or whatever it is they spout to belittle and dehumanize fragile human beings.

If, like me and a lot of others I know, you’re tired of seeing Michigan go further down the wrong road, do something about it. It starts at home. Talk to your parents and your extended family first, then branch the conversation out to your friends. Don’t be embarrassed about bringing up a sensitive topic, these are things that need to be talked about. Sure, it’ll cause an argument or two, but if we can survive a spat between friends, we can eventually make a world where everyone is treated well enough to survive their lives. Too often religion is vessel for hate, an excuse for bigotry and a harbor of ill-natured intent for individuals considered to be “different.” If you consider yourself religious and you don’t side with Glenn and Snyder, say something. Reclaim your faith for good and do something to help someone, not to drive us further apart.

No more dead kids. No more individuals living in fear. No more individuals living false lives because of a lack of resources or public understanding. Embrace change. Do something good. Let me leave you with one last question: Would you really rather it be possible for any married couple to adopt kids for a bigger welfare check, and bring them into a home where they’ll be malnourished, neglected and even possibly abused and/or killed, as opposed to a loving, safe and encouraging home with same sex parents or a couple that isn’t married? The former situation happens more than most will admit, and with this law in place, it will be the only one of the two situations mentioned that would be possible.